Method of mining sulfur and other minerals.



H. P. RHODES.

METHOD OF MINING SULFUR AND OTHER MINERALS.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

'APPLICATIQN FILED FEB.I8,19I6.

lava/1201'." n I Zwdf/Z/wdas ,H. P. RHODES.

METHOD OF MINING SULFUR AND OTHER MINERALS.

' APPLKCATIQN FILED FEB,I8,1916. 1,217.065.

Patqhted Feb. 20,1917.

2 SHEETS-QHEEI' 2 HAMPTON P. RHODES, OF SHBEVEPOBT,"LOUISIAN.A.

METHOD OF MINING STJLFUB AND OTHER MINERALS.

Application filed February 18, 1916. Serial No. 79,184.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, IIAMP'ION P/Rnonns,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Shreveport, in'the parish of Ceddo and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Mining Sulfur and other Minerals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a. new method and a 'iparatus for mining sullur,- etc.

"Briefly it resides in a. new structure but the invention is primarily indicated toward it new method for obtaining sulfur and other minerals which can be mined by the same erals of like character.

A practical embodiment of the invention process. "suclras oil, salt, borax, and 1uinis represented in the accompanying drawmg forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indiel te corresponding parts in all the views.

the invention being more fully described I hereinafter and then pointed out in the 'clsims at the end of the description.

Figure 1 is a. plan View of the'apperatus used, part of which is shown in section.

Fig. 2-isa: vertical sectional view through.

' the first casing and furnace;

the second casing and furnace;

Fig. 4 a. View showing the. ground pipe ling surrounding casing forming the Well; an.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the storage tank.

Numeral 10 shows generally un air compressor. The air compressed in the air compressor is forced into pipe 11 through. velve'12 into the spiral coil 13, the coil 13 extends helically and longitudinally through a brick casing 14 under'which heat is applied by means of the furnace 15. The air which is super-heated in the furnace is then passed into the pipe 16 through valve 17 and. beyond the check valve 18, then passes into the storage tank 19. 19 also has a furnace 20 associated therewith. From stor- Fig. 3 is a. vertical sectional view through age tank 19 the air is forced into pipe 20 and meets valve 21, then'passes into pipe 22 which extends helica-lly and longitudinully through the casing 23. which has a furnace .24 associated therewith. The cas-v ings 14 and 23 are similar in structure and desi From the latter named casing the air 1s forced through pipe 25 end valve 26 through the pipe 27. From pipe 27 the air Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917 is then forced into the pipe 28 which is surrounded by casing 29. The pipe E il-end the casing 29 extend down into the ground and form a Well. The operation and detailed construction of this well will he described later.

Extending at u'right angle or at another convenient angle to pipe 20. there. is a pipe tending opening ormouth 33. the material which rises through the casing: .65; passes around the outlet and is emptied into a. receptecle 34. Attached to the end of the opening 33 is a. foruminated screen filter said screen loeinp hinged to part 32 at This catches some of the impurities or huge pieces of the mineral to he desired.

Having clearly described the structure I shall now describe the operation. Air is forced by the air compressor into the coil pipe 13. The coil pipe may be of any convenient size and made of the usual material. As the coil is in a. brick casing under which are furnaces the air is heated and after be? ing heated is passed into the storage tank 19.

The check valve 18 is provided so that the air which has been heated Will not he forced back into coil pipe 13 under some circunr stances. After the air is heated, it thenpasses into pipe 20 and as far as a three Way valve 21. In mining; oil, the hot air then goes into the second coil pipe 22 and. after passing through this pipe which is heated by the furnace 24:, it is then forced down into the Well. The pipe is sunk to approximately twothirds of the depth of the casing strainer. The air which forced intothe casing heats the accumulated asphalt and paraffin which melts the same and thus permits an easy and successful production. This heating of the strainer causes the strainer to be cleansed, etc, and .in the production of oil, no air is used. The above is recited in order to show that my apparatus may be used in the production of oil.

l and the water is then forced through pipe 27and down into the well. This hot water melts or softens the mineral and then the valve '21 is turned so that the hot air which. is in storage tank 19 is quicklysent through coil which is continually being hdated through pipe 27 down into the we'll The quick force of the hot air into the well causes the further heating of the mineral to be mined and it forces the mineral up through the casing which is then dropped into the receptacle. The hot water which is in the well at this time is vaporized by the injection of the hot air. i

It has been found by my process that a great saving'in fuel ,hills and label; is involved. Sometimes high as fifty per cent. has been saved. It is to be noticed that in the mining of the sulfur, salt, borax, etc., that water is not sent through the first coil pipe (ii-through the storage tank butn'icrely through the latter coil Qipe. 'lhc.fir st coil pipe is used merely for air and the storage tank for similar purposes. will be seen, has a short passageway compared to that of the prior patents in this art. The air is at the valve 21 heated at the proper temperature and as soon as the water issent through secondcoil pipe, the air is immediately without loss of heat forced through'the second coil pipe down into the well and it-closely follows the hot water.

This results in no loss of time and it is a The water, it

great advantage that the air is heated to the proper temperature when it is deslred to force it as a follower of the hot water.

In the above description and the draw ings forming a part thereof, I have disclosed numerous specific elements for carrying out the objects of my invention which, of course, may be readily modified or refined for the purpose of adapting the mechanism to divers types of mining machinery, all of which will he obvious to others skilled in the art of mining. I desire it understood therefore that all such modifications or refinements are contemplated within the scope of my invention as expressed in the appended claims, and I do not therein limit myself to further loosen the-strata, and third injecting additional hot air to raise the loosened minerals.

In testimony whereof I affix-my signature.

HAMPTON P. RHODES.

i is

g at

ma v 

